Combination separator or divider and display sheet



March 15, 1960 R.A.'SHIELS 2,928,200

COMBINATION SEPARATOR on DIVIDER AND DISPLAY SHEET Filed Nov. 29, 1956 [ROBERT A. SH IELS DES JARDINS 8. ROBINSON HIS ATTORNEYS f 2 28 Patented Mar. 1950 United States Patent Office 2,529,200; p COMBINATION SEPARATOR 0R DIVIDER V ANDDISPLAY SHEET Robert A. Shiels, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to The ExcllolPap'er' Products Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation ofOhio 7 Application November 29, 1956, Serial No. 625,043" sciaims. cl. 46-310) This: invention relatesto a combination separator or divider and display sheet between layers-of stacked packaged goods, and it particularly pertains to a separator or divider and display sheet having a main central body portion with a downwardly and outwardly extending apron on one or more of its side edgesand adjacent corners. I

The apron is of substantialv width vertically, and is disposed at a suitable angle to thehorizontal plane for advertising matter placed thereon to be displayed to easy view of the customers where the goods are stacked in a store for sale. Moreover, the downwardly and outwardly extending apron and connecting corners permit several of the sheets being nested for stacking them for transportation or in a supply stack foruse or storage.

. Heretofore, separator or divider sheets for stacking packaged goods, or carry-out cartons of such goods, have been merely flat sheets inserted between the stacked layers, and, as a result, they are not held in proper position but are easily turned askew even when weighted down by the layer of goods placed thereon. Then, too, where bottled or canned goods are stacked for display in a store, a customer oftentimes cannot see what the marking on the packages is without stepping back a distance from the stack to read the labels on the containers or the cartons or on any which happen to be turned outwardly in a position to be seen. While the containers or cartons, or both, may beprominently marked, the marking on the sides is somewhat obscured by the separator sheet and any marking on the top of the containers or cartons is, of course, completely concealed from view by the overlying separator sheet when'said sheet is in place. Hence, whatever may be the marking on said containers or cartons, its display in the stack is impaired if not entirely hidden from view. I

Accordingly, one of the main objects of this invention is a combination separator and display sheet for layers of stacked packages or filled carry-out cartons.

Another object at the invention is aseparator and display sheet for layers of stacked packages having a downwardly flared apron for carrying advertising media.

Another object of the invention is a separator and display sheet, having a downwardlylfiared apron, which is simple in construction and eflicient in operation.

Another object of'the invention is a separator and display sheet for layers of stacked packagesl'in which a. downwardly flared apron may be provided on one or more of its side edges.

Further objects, and ob ects relating to detailed construction and economies of operation, will readily appear from the detailed description to follow. In one instance,

the objects of the invention have been accomplished by the device and means set forth in the following specification. The invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the appended claims. A structure constituting a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustratedinthe w accompanying drawings following a part of thisspecification, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a cut-out blank from which one embodiment of the invention is formed.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention formed from the cut-out blank in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a stack of carry-out Referringspecifically to the drawings in which like numerals designate like parts, numeral 2 (Fig. 1) is a rectangular blank of any suitable sheet material having a diagonal cut 2a opening in from the edge of its four corners to a scored line 3 formed parallel with each side edge to set ofi a main rectangular body portion 4 from side margin 5 and two end margins 6 adapted to be bent downwardly.

The side margin 5 and the two end margins 6 (Fig. 2) are flared downwardly and outwardly at an acute angle of about forty-five (45) degrees to provide a downwardly and outwardly extending apron with its adjacent corner like.

portions. 7 and 8 lapped and secured by any suitable fastening means, such as staples 9 or adhered in lapped relation.

The blank 2. may be of any sheet material, such as paper pulp, cardboard, plyboard or light metal, or the Where made of light metal, such as aluminum, the sheet could be stamped from a blank for the stamped out apron to be integrally joined at the corners or to be lapped and fastened. I

In the present invention, the separator sheet is shown as made from a pulp cardboard base 10 having applied to its top side a face lining 11 of water-proof or waterrepellent paper. This permits advertising material 12 being readily printed on the apron, although it will be understood that such advertising material could be ap-.

plied other than printing. Printing is, of course, the most practical. "However, the invention is not concerned with any particular manner of placing the advertising media upon the apron, but in providing the apron on the separator strip and having said apron so disposed that the advertising media thereon will be conspicuously displayed to the prospective customers and make a neat appearing stack. Also, inlieuof having the advertising media on the apron at the time that the separator strip is formed, it could also be placed on separate strips subsequently applied to the apron; The invention is not limited to any particular way in which the advertising matter is placed on the apron but is directed to a separator sheet with said apron on which such matter can be displayed.

Inasmuch as in most stores bottled or canned beverages'are placed'next to a'wall of the building, ordinarily it would be sutiicient to have the apron only on those three sides of the separator sheet which are not adjacent the wall and are exposed to view. However, it may be placed on all four sides shown in Fig. 4, and more particularly where the packaged goods 'are displayed in the center of the store away from the building wall so that the stacked goods as on display are accessible and visible from .all four sides. if. the display stack is placed in the j corner of 'thestore with only two sides of the stack exposed, the apron may be on only two sides of the separator'sheet.

The invention is especially adapted'as a separator sheet for carry-out cartons forbottle goods, such as carbonated and malt beverages, in which there are ordinarily six (6) bottles or cans to the carton. To facilitate stacking the carry-out cartons on the separator sheet, its top surface may be conveniently marked oft for the areas for the cartons to be placed "thereon. These separator sheets may also be of various sizes for stacks of difierent size.

' In the embodiment of Fig. 2, the top surface of the sheet ismarked off with twelve (l2) portions 13, disposed in longitudinal and transverse rows for twelve cartons to be arranged thereon. However, the separator sheets are not limited to packaged goods in carry-out cartons, but are also adapted for individual packages making up the layers of the stack.

After one layer of packages have been removed from the stack, the separator is lifted oil to expose the under layer until all the goods of the stack have been sold, and they can then be reused for making up another'stack. They are of a construction to be nested in a stack to be laid fiat or stood on end.

Since the invention is particularly adapted for carryout cartons for bottled and canned goods, such as carbonated and malt beverages, it is made rectangular since the cartons are ordinarily of that conformation. It is preferably rectangular for this reason, but the invention is not limited to this particular conformation, but could be of any other conformation, such as being round.

I am aware that there may be various changes in details of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention, and, therefore, the invention is claimed broadly as indicated by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is new and useful and desire to secure by US. Letters Patent is:

'1. The method of separating the layers of stacked columnar objects'comprising inserting between said layers a separator and display sheet having a downwardly and outwardly apron extending from adjacent sides of a horizontal main body portion, and securing the adjacent ends of the aprons.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the securedadjacent ends of the aprons are overlapped.

3. A separator and display sheet for being interposed between superimposed layers of stacked goods comprising a horizontal main body portion adapted to seat on top of a layer of the stack, a downwardly and outwardly extending apron, inclined at an acute angle with respect to said main body portion, on at least two adjacent sides of said sheet adapted to project outwardly beyond the sides of the stack for overhanging the stack layer on which said sheet is seated, advertising media on the outer walls of the aprons, and means for'fastening the ends of the adjacent aprons for holding them in their downwardly and outwardly extending position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

